(Reuters) - Waikato Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan refused to dismiss the Canterbury Crusaders' Super Rugby Pacific title hopes despite handing Rob Penney's side defeat for a second time this season on Saturday.
The Chiefs battled back from a 19-3 deficit to secure a 35-19 win in Christchurch to move two points clear in the standings with the end-of-season finals series looming, but McMillan is not discounting the Crusaders.
"Even when the Crusaders were losing lots of games last year, no one was writing them off," said McMillan, whose team notched up a 49-24 win over their rivals in February. "They've earned that because they're such a good side.
"We've beaten them twice before in a season and it didn't go well, so we won't count our chickens. There's a lot of rugby still to be played and I think if you start thinking too far ahead you get bitten on the backside."
Fullback Damian McKenzie was instrumental in the Chiefs' fightback at Christchurch Stadium, scoring 20 of his side's points as the visitors rallied in the wake of a crucial try by winger Emoni Narawa late in the first half.
McKenzie crossed the line soon after the restart before further tries from winger Leroy Carter and forward Wallace Sititi steered the visitors to an impressive win.
"We didn't get everything perfect and when you play the Crusaders you've got to understand that that will be the case," McMillan said.
"You're not going to get everything your own way. They certainly showed that in the first half."
The Chiefs now lead the standings from the ACT Brumbies with the Crusaders in third, a further two points behind with three rounds remaining in the regular season.
"It's going to come down to the wire," McMillan said of the Chiefs' hopes of finishing on top of the table. "All we can do is control what's directly in front of us."
(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
